Golf is enjoyed by a wide variety of players—players of different genders, and players of dramatically different ages and skill levels. Golf is somewhat unique in the sporting world in that such diverse collections of players can play together in golf events, even in direct competition with one another (e.g., using handicapped scoring, different tee boxes, etc.), and still enjoy the golf outing or competition. These factors, together with increased golf programming on television (e.g., golf tournaments, golf news, golf history, and/or other golf programming) and the rise of well known golf superstars, at least in part, have increased golf's popularity in recent years, both in the United States and across the world. The number of individuals participating in the game and the number of golf courses have increased steadily over recent years.
Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment have responded to these demands, and recent years have seen dramatic changes and improvements in golf equipment. For example, a wide range of different golf ball models now are available, with some balls designed to fly farther and straighter, provide higher or flatter trajectory, provide more spin, control, and feel (particularly around the greens), etc.
Being the sole instrument that sets a golf ball in motion during play, the golf club also has been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen improvements in golf club heads, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements of the golf club and characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, etc.).
Despite the various technological improvements, golf remains a difficult game to play at a high level. To reliably fly straight and in the desired direction, a golf club must meet the golf ball square (or substantially square) to the desired target path. Moreover, the golf club must meet the golf ball at or close to a desired location on the club head face (i.e., on or near a “desired” or “optimal” ball contact location”) to reliably fly straight, in the desired direction, and for a desired distance. Off-center hits may tend to “twist” the club face when it contacts the ball, thereby sending the ball in the wrong direction, imparting undesired hook or slice spin, and/or robbing the shot of distance. Club face/ball contact that deviates from square and/or is located away from the club's desired ball contact location, even by a relatively minor amount, also can launch the golf ball in the wrong direction, often with undesired hook or slice spin, and/or can rob the shot of distance. Accordingly, club head structures that can help a user keep the club face square through the contact zone and/or resist twisting during the swing and/or at contact would tend to help the ball fly straighter and truer, in the desired direction, and often with improved and/or reliable distance.
Like other golf clubs, putters also must make square contact with the golf ball, in the desired direction or path, in order to produce straight and true rolls in the desired direction. If the putter head twists during the stroke, this will tend to send the ball off-line and/or decrease the distance the putt travels. Additionally, off-center hits on the putter's face (i.e., hits away from the putter's desired ball contact location) will tend to cause the putter head to twist when it contacts the ball, which again tends to send the ball off-line and/or decrease the roll distance. Accordingly, putter head structures that can help users keep the club face square to the target line through the contact zone and/or prevent the club head from twisting during the swing and/or at contact will tend to help the ball roll straighter, truer, and in the desired direction.